A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
by CookieWolfScarlet
Summary: He's doing what he's always done; sacrifice for the greater good. At least, that's he thinks he's doing. Being a hero isn't all its exactly cracked up to be. *Ambrolleigns/Requested/Reuploaded*
1. Chapter 1

**(A/n: Because I suck, this request is damn there a month late.**

**TigerGirl requested spanking and brotherly feels.**

**So, after much emotional turmoil and decision making, I came up with this.**

**I may have gotten a _bit_ out of hand.**

**And I also had to break it up into two pieces. **

**Pairing: Ambrolleigns, mentions of one-sided Rkollins**

**Content Warning for violence, angst, foul language, and extortion)**

**Pairing: Ambrolleigns**

***Special Thanks to Blondie for that rockin' ass cover***

* * *

**Edit: It's back motherfuckers. And I decided to opt out of the sexytimes I was going to do. Kindly blame the fuckers that got the shit taken down for no reason in the first place. *clears throat***

* * *

"_Daddy's gonna be mad at you, Seth_"

It echoed in his head and made him shudder as he paced around. All would seem well on the outside. The Shield was no more, he had his briefcase and the protection of Hunter, Stephanie, and to a lesser extent, Randy…but none of that was what _really_ mattered.

He couldn't tell them. He couldn't tell them that he was protecting them. They wouldn't believe him anyway. And why should they?

***S***

It was blackmail, no, it was flat out _extortion_ in its purest form. Hunter, finally being fed up with The Shield rebelling, approached Seth when he was away from the other two hounds, dragging him away and all but throwing him into a room much too dark for his liking. He was instantly on the offensive, ready to take them both down or go down kicking and screaming. Randy stopped that immediately, locking his arms behind his head and holding him while Hunter stalked closer, eyes narrowed.

"You must feel so powerful, think you've won, don't you?" he questioned. Seth leered at him, lip curled up into a nasty smirk.

"Well I don't know, the three of you getting pinned seems like a loss to me. How's that feel, by the way?" Seth sneered. Hunter chuckled, rubbing his jaw in amusement before he growled and punched him hard in the stomach, retching his hair back and glaring down at the wheezing man.

"Cute. But I've got a little proposition for you. You're gonna turn on them tonight. Take a steel chair and end The Shield, break them down. You'll do it, Seth." He chuckled matter-of-factly. Seth stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you insane? What the fuck makes you think I'll-"

"Ugh, enough of this, Hunter. Seth, you'll turn on them because if you don't, he'll terminate both of their contracts" Randy grunted from behind him. Seth's eyes grew and Hunter rolled his eyes, obviously not liking that the younger man threw a wrench into his bad cop routine. Seth shook his head in disbelief, struggling again.

"You can't fucking do this!"

"My wife is the co-owner of the company, I can do whatever I damn well please when it comes to terminating someone I don't like. But, I won't if you simply do as you are told. You'll turn on them and join us. You'll see that this will be a…golden opportunity for you." He chuckled and Randy pushed him away, both of them leaving the room.

That's why Seth was chosen and not Dean or Roman.

Truth be told, he wasn't as strong as them when it came to things like this. If it was just him, he'd easily decline, laugh in their face and storm away with his pride in tact. But it wasn't _his_ job they threatened to take and that's why he was the one chosen. Because they knew he'd try to play hero.

Either of them would've flat out told them to go fuck themselves and they would've found something else to do if they _did_ get fired.

But Seth couldn't bare that guilt. The guilt of knowing he was the reason why Dean and Roman got fired. Just because he didn't _obey_.

Seth took a deep breath and left the room.

***SWC***

He wasn't fully prepared for his own actions. The way Roman crumbled immediately broke his heart and when he looked over, catching the look of disbelief and heartbreak that crossed his face, he felt like he'd taken his heart and ripped it out of his chest and watched it get ran over.

Ten times.

He'd hit Dean _ten_ times with that chair.

Seth felt dead as he walked away, head downcast as he made his way through the halls. He heard his coworkers whispering amongst themselves, nearly drowned out by Randy and Hunter's boisterous laughter. Seth shook his head, storming off ahead of them. Randy grabbed his wrist, eyes narrowed.

"I'd suggest you keep your pretty little mouth shut. It wouldn't be fun if they knew we were just using you, now would it?"

"Fuck off, Randal"

Seth snatched his arm free and stormed away.

* * *

The first week, he cried himself to sleep every night, hiding away in his hotel room unless he was forced to come out.

The second week, he laid on his side, feeling numb inside as he scrolled through the torrential outpour of hate he'd recieved online.

The third, he stared blankly at the ceiling, sighing as he felt Randy shift from beside him.

This was all getting far too much out of hand.

But he kept up with the charade, put on his mask like the pawn he knew he was and protected the two people he loved the most.

Even if that meant he had to lie to them out in front of the world and dodge them at all costs when they were backstage. He avoided them like the plague, knowing he would be utterly destroyed if he was caught alone with either of them. He couldn't let them catch him, not if they still didn't know.

He tried to tell Dean. Multiple times when the man came out to beat the hell out of him, he tried to whisper to him that it wasn't as it seemed and that he had to do it for their sake.

Dean was far too enraged to hear him.

The crowd's encouragement for him to beat Seth into the ground didn't help.

***S***

It was Tuesday when it finally came to a head. He had closed off Smackdown by escaping with Randy behind the curtain, feigning worry until he was out of the public eye. That was when he all but shoved the man away, fists tightly clenched as he went to disappear down the hall. Randy grabbed his wrist, snatching him back and smirking at the rage in his eyes.

"What's wrong? It kills you how much they hate you now, doesn't it?" he chuckled. Seth stared at him with wide eyes, the rage fading slightly as Randy tilted his head to the side.

"What was that Dean called Hunter? Your sugar daddy, right? To them, you're nothing but a little traitorous whore. They wouldn't be too off about that, I _did_ have my way with you" he all but purred, circling the smaller man. Seth ground his teeth together. If he could, he would lay waste to the older man, but instead, he wretched his wrist free and turned, storming off to catering to grab a water bottle. He needed to clear his head.

He was stopped along the way by Renee, the woman crossing her arms and looking up at him with hard honey eyes. Seth looked away, loosening his cuffs.

"You gonna lay into me about turning my back on them too? Well, let's hear it" he sighed, sounding utterly defeated. She shook her head and stepped forward, raising her hand and slapping him hard in the face, the sound making a few people walking by stop and stare. Seth's head snapped to the left, his cheek burning from the hit before he looked up at her, turning his head and pointing to his other cheek.

"Go on. Hit me again."

"I won't. That slap wasn't one to hurt you. It was a wakeup call"

Seth stared at her and she stepped closer, glaring up at him.

"I don't know what's wrong behind the scenes, but I know you, Seth. You wouldn't do this to your brothers. Your lovers. You wouldn't unless something else was going on. Whatever it is, I'm personally disappointed you think it's okay to try and handle on your own while the rest of us have to sit back and watch you rip them and yourself apart. I see the shake in your voice when you talk. I can tell you don't want to do this. You need to figure out something, cause right now you're doing more harm than good" she scolded him firmly before hugging him tight. He could feel her trembling against him and he returned the hug, brows knitted up together.

"Talk to them. Try and fix this"

With that, she let him go and straightened herself out, briskly walking down the hall. Seth watched her go before he ran a hand through his hair, making his way to catering before he headed for a room Hunter set aside for him. He specifically requested not to share one with Randy for fear he'd strangle the man before the night was over.

Seth grunted when he got inside it, navigating through the darkened room and turning on his lamp on as he reached for his phone. He wanted to grab his things and get back to the hotel room so he could call one of the men, try to explain himself. The worst that could happen was that they didn't answer or flat out told him to go fuck himself. But at least he could say he tried-

The door slammed shut.

Seth froze.

He could hear the joints cracking behind him and he knew without looking who it was. There was that gravelly grunt akin to a cat having trapped its prey and Seth closed his eyes for a second, trying to calm his heart before it beat right out of his chest.

"How long were you planning on running?" was the first thing he heard. He shook his head, turning and hesitantly meeting icy blue eyes.

"I _wasn't _running! You don't understand-"

Dean moved far more faster than he had the right to, grabbing Seth by the collar and slamming him into the wall behind him, eyes murderous.

"Oh, I _understand_. I understand you turned your back on us, _brother_. I won't let it slide. I told you before when you pulled this shit that the _one_ thing I will not fucking take is being _lied_ to by someone I _trust_." He was snarling, teeth bared and fists balled tightly into Seth's collar. Seth coughed weakly.

"L-Let me go-"

"Why Seth? Hm? Daddy gonna get mad at you? Oh, that's right, you've been out waaaaaay too long past his curtview with those two boys he don't like, haven't you? Oh, Daddy's gonna be _so _upset his baby boy is in trouble, running with those bad boys."

Seth swallowed thickly, eyes darting around the room, looking for any sign of Roman lurking around. He _was_ in trouble. He couldn't calm Dean down and he knew damn well he wouldn't be able to reason with both of them if he was absolutely petrified. He hadn't even realized he was trembling until Dean's lip curled and he grabbed his jaw hard, slamming his head back against a wall before he glared into his eyes.

"What's wrong, Seth? Scared of me? What's that you called me? A lunatic? Crazy, right? You haven't seen fucking crazy yet, you ungrateful little shit" He pulled Seth off of the wall before slamming him back onto it hard, making the smaller man cry out in pain. He grabbed Dean's wrists, trying to wretch them off of him.

"I didn't mean it!" Seth cried, feeling Dean's anger rolling off him in waves. The older man chuckled humorlessly.

"Sure as shit felt like you meant it when you go out there talking shit every fucking week. Those chair shots felt like you fucking meant it. You've got a lot of nerve telling me to my face that you didn't mean it. You fucking destroyed us, Seth. The Shield is gone, Roman completely shut down, even Joelle calls us damn there every night crying asking why we have to fight and you're gonna fucking lie and say you didn't _mean_ it?!" Dean slammed him against the wall repeatedly. Seth ground his teeth together and finally knocked the man down, straddling him.

"Just fucking listen for a second-"

"Fuck you!"

Dean's head swung up, cracking him hard in the mouth before he swung, punching Seth in the face. Seth fell out of his lap and Dean pounced on him, hands wrapped around his neck ad he snarled furiously down at him.

"_Why, Seth?!"_

Seth stopped struggling, barely able to breathe over Dean's tight grip. '_You deserve this_' is all that echoed in head. It's why he didn't try and fight back anymore. Dean growled, grabbing his shirt and ripping it open, buttons flying every which way. He yanked Seth closer by his tie, growling lowly.

"You're going to take everything off. Now."

Seth looked away, not even protesting as he did as he was told. He'd barely taken his pants off and kicked them aside when Dean grabbed his wrists roughly, snatching them behind his back and tying them together with Seth's own tie. Seth looked back in mild alarm and Dean scoffed, pushing him so he was bent over the arm of the couch.

"You know what's coming next, don't you, _brother_?" Dean hissed, spitting the word out like a curse. Seth barely had the time to open his mouth in protest (not like it would stop Dean, anyway) before the older man's palm came down on his ass, the sound sharp.

"Fuck!"

"Oh, you're a big man in charge now, Seth. A little slap won't hurt you, now would it? You've got everything you ever wanted now, don't you? And all it took was for you to break your brothers down. You're our _architect_, right?Must feel good, doesn't it? Doesn't it feel good to watch something you apparently created fucking crumble to pieces?"

"Dean, no-"

_Slap_.

"Shut the _fuck_ up, Seth! I'm tired of it! I've heard enough of it!" Dean's hits got harder, the man barking insults at him left and right as he brought his hand down over and over on the tanned flesh of Seth's ass, the skin blossoming into a brilliant red. Seth bit his bottom lip bloody trying to keep his whimpers in but after a while, he just ended up giving in, crying out with every hit, Dean's voice feeling like ice stabbing his heart.

"_You're the architect, Seth. You only built us to break us right back down"_

_Slap._

"_Roman and I are nothing without you, right? We'll never be as great as you, oh mighty Seth Rollins, will we?"_

_Slap, slap._

"_You never loved us. We were just pawns in your sick little game"_

"No! I did-I _do_, okay?! I'm doing this _for_ you! You don't get the whole story! Call me whatever you want, hit me, I'll take it, but don't fucking try and tell me I don't love you when that's the only fucking reason I'm putting up with Hunter and Randy and all of this bullshit, okay?!" Seth barked. Dean shook his head, grabbing Seth by his hair and yanking him up so his back was pressed firmly against his chest.

"What did I fucking tell you about lying to my fucking face? I'll end you, you little fucking shit."

"I-I'm _not_ lying, dammit."

"That's it-"

"Enough, Dean."

Dean and Seth blinked in surprise when they heard the familiar rumble of the third piece of the puzzle. They hadn't even heard the door open, but both of them sure as hell heard it when Roman kicked it closed, wordlessly locking it as he rolled his neck on his shoulders, gray eyes scanning the scene in front of him. Dean clicked his tongue and Seth looked away, a new wave of humiliation hitting him. Dean caught this and grabbed his jaw, forcing him to look at the eldest.

"Go on, Seth. Try preaching that bullshit to Roman. Maybe he'll listen to ya" Dean taunted. Seth swallowed thickly, looking up into the Samoan's eyes. Roman simply hooked his thumbs into his vest, something he did when he was trying to contain his anger or didn't know what to do with his hands. Seth figured that was a good sign that the man hadn't punched him yet. He went to repeat the statement when Roman cut him off suddenly.

"You better make it good, Seth. Because I've had enough of your bullshit too."

Seth swallowed thickly and spoke, voice trembling.

"I…I was just trying to protect you…both of you."


	2. Chapter 2

The silence that stretched on after he finished talking was absolutely agonizing. Seth was trembling, staring into Roman's eyes, pleading for him to believe him. Roman _had_ to. If he did, he could probably convince Dean to sit down and hear him out and finally they'd understand-

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Seth went rigid.

Roman's calm stare was gone in an instant, the man looking like he'd been slapped in the face as he glared at Seth, gripping his vest tighter than before, trying to restrain himself.

"I told you to make it good, and you give me that bullshit? Do you think I'm an idiot?" he growled. Seth suddenly felt smaller than he actually was. He sputtered, trying to find something, _anything_ to say. He didn't have to; Dean was more than ready with a response.

"Oh, that's _exactly_ what he thinks, Roman. Remember what he said out there? He was our 'brains', we're _so_ lost without him, ain't that right puppet boy?" Dean sneered, looking down at the man in distaste. Seth didn't respond this time. He only looked sorrowfully back into Roman's eyes. Had these have been normal circumstances, the older man would've caved, told Dean to lighten up, and they'd all be fine.

Seth didn't even entertain the thought of that happening now.

"If you're going to beat the hell out of me, do it. I give up. Neither of you are gonna listen to me"

Roman scoffed, finally moving, sitting on the coffee table in front of Dean and Seth. His hand grabbed his jaw out of Dean's grip. Seth noticed-with his heart in his throat-how the Samoan's grip was firm, but still not as hard as Dean's was. It made him want to cry that the man was still holding back on him, even after all he'd done.

Holding back physically.

Doesn't mean he'd hold back verbally.

"You stabbed us both in the back, Seth. We loved you, and you did this, and you expect us to believe a word you say?"

Seth stared pathetically back at him, feeling like he'd been slapped in the face.

"L-loved?"

Roman scoffed and Dean snorted from behind him. "You don't honestly think you deserve to be loved by us anymore after what you've done, do you?" Dean growled. Seth's lips parted, but he couldn't find the words to speak. There wasn't anything to say. Randy was right, the boys didn't love him anymore.

"Fuck it. Dean, let him go. We need to get back to the hotel and get some sleep. We got things to do in the morning. I'm done wasting my time" Roman stood, hardly sparing Seth a passing glance as he turned and walked out, slamming the door. Seth had a feeling the man wanted to do more, to _say_ more. He sighed, feeling Dean growl in disapproval from behind him as he snatched the tie from his wrists, kicking him to the floor.

"Roman may still want to go easy on you for whatever reason, but I won't. Out there, I'll rip you apart every single fucking night. Enjoy your pampering. I hope it was worth it" He sneered before he turned and stormed out.

Seth laid there for a moment before he laughed quietly, pulling himself up off the floor. He was sore as all hell but that was nothing compared to how he felt emotionally. Randy was actually right about something. They didn't want him anymore.

They didn't _love_ him anymore.

Seth dressed quickly, putting on his glasses when he felt tears rolling down his cheeks. He left quickly, phone tightly grasped in his hand as he got in his rental, pulling out and leaving the arena behind him. He was lucky he managed to get to the hotel safely with his blurred vision, but he did, and the first thing he did was request a separate room.

He was being forced to room with Randy but after the night's events, he refused to go back to that room. He didn't feel like putting up with the other man's dog-like inquiries as to why he was taking so long to get back and where he'd been. He just needed silence.

Seth gratefully accepted the keycard to his new room and headed for the elevator. It was closing when a foot caught on it and another person entered with him. Seth looked up and couldn't help the sigh of frustration that left his lips when he saw who it was.

"Where the hell have you been? Randy says you weren't in your room."

"I'm a grown ass man, Hunter, I don't have to answer that"

"I saw Roman and Dean come in not too long ago. I hope for your sake you didn't say anything to them. You know what will happen-"

"Know what, Hunter? I don't fucking care anymore" Seth pushed himself off of the wall and slammed his palm onto the emergency break button, bringing the elevator to a sudden halt. Seth turned and glared at Hunter.

"I don't give a rat's ass what you do. They hate me. I'm sure that's all according to fucking plan, but you ruined my fucking life, Hunter. And for what? This feud? _Fuck_ this feud! I have to get my ass beat every week or assist in beating down the two people I love for this bullshit. It would be different if I could tell them, but you're a sick fuck and took even that away. I hope all of you motherfuckers are happy with ruining my life. Must be _real_ fucking funny to you. Well, Hunter, I got a joke for you too" Seth slammed the button once more, lurching them both upwards as he turned his back on the blonde leering at him.

"I fucking quit."

"You're bluffing. You can't quit now. You're Mr. Money in the Bank. There's no way you can just walk out on that" Hunter crossed his arms, sounding more amused than upset. Seth's fists clenched at his side, the elevator stopping on his floor.

"Fucking watch me." He huffed, walking out of the cramped space.

"This isn't your floor. You and Randy are two floors up."

"Go tell your lackey to go fuck himself, too" Seth threw over his shoulder, flipping the man off. He heard Hunter's laughter as the doors began closing.

"Cute tantrum. See you in the morning, Rollins."

Seth continued his trip to his new room, throwing his bag onto his bed and heading to the bathroom. He removed his glasses and looked at himself in the mirror, cringing at how bloodshot his eyes were. He looked away, unable to even look at his own reflection for too long. He started the shower, making sure it was blistering as he washed away the dirt and grime of the day.

He wished he could wash everything away.

When he was drying off, he suddenly stopped, hearing his phone from the next room.

'_Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta_

_S.H.I.E.L.D'_

Seth nearly tripped over himself as he darted to his phone. There was a very real possibility that it was Dean or Roman calling to continue tearing into him, but the fact that either of them would call made him unreasonably happy, even if he felt like he had no right to be.

"Hello?"

"Uncle Colby!"

He blinked.

Okay, not Dean or Roman.

"J-Joelle? Jo, what are you doing up, it's midnight!" he stated after looking at the alarm clock on the nightstand. He heard the girl click her tongue.

"Mommy told me I could call to say goodnight."

"Jo Jo…does Daddy know you're calling me?" Seth inquired after a moment's hesitation. He heard the girl shift on the other side as she made a small 'nuh uh' sound.

"No. I wanted to talk to you. I miss you. I don't know what's happening, but you need to make up with Daddy and Uncle Jon so you can all play together nicely. We can all have a tea party!"

"I don't think the four of us can ever have a tea party ever again, Jo. They both hate me for what I did."

"Daddy says its bad to hate and that you should give the people you love second chances when they do something bad. You all need to play nice, okay?"

Seth had to pull the phone away from his mouth as a pathetic whimper left his throat. He felt a fresh wave of tears come to his eyes. He could only imagine how much he'd made the little girl cry with his actions.

"I-I'll try, baby girl. You need to get to sleep, okay? Gotta get that beauty rest, princess"

"You're right! Goodnight, Uncle Colby! I love you. Mwah!" The girl made a kiss sound on the other line before she hung up, barely giving him the time to respond before the line went dead.

Seth stared at his phone for a long time after that, idly turning it in his palm long after the screen timed out, plunging the room back into darkness. His heart was beating heavily and he tilted his head back against the headboard, feeling like he was being smothered.

He was going to leave. Hunter and Steph could keep their briefcase, Randy could go fuck himself. None of it mattered anymore. He'd go back to Iowa with his head hung in shame and try to find something else to do. Try to move on.

His eyes got heavier and he began nodding off.

His last thought was that he _knew_ he wouldn't be able to move on from this.

***DR***

The next morning, Dean and Roman were the first ones in the gym, working off some of the previous night's frustrations by brutalizing punching bags and running, eyes glaring straight ahead of them. Even when other people began to fill in around them, the two continued on, pushing their bodies to the limit.

Finally, after about two and a half hours of nonstop exercise, the two decided to take a break, sitting together and leaning heavily on a wall, downing bottles of Gatorade as they tried to catch their breath. Neither man said a word, and perhaps it was better that way. Where Dean would prefer to bring up the current state of events, Roman would prefer to not say a word, try-_and fail_-to pretend like Seth was never a third of their relationship. That they didn't love him.

Nothing was further from the truth.

Dean was finally about to break the silence with something completely irrelevant when they heard voices from just around the corner.

"Hunter, the kid never showed up to our room last night"

It was Randy, and the statement made both of the men tense in anger. Neither really wanted to entertain the thought of Seth moving on from them, _especially_ not to Randy. The man had a notorious track record when it came to sleeping around with new talent and dropping them at the drop of a dime. Dean growled lowly, ready to stand and pounce on both men when Roman snatched him back down, bringing a finger to his lips and motioning for him to listen.

"I knew he wouldn't be. I ran into him last night when he got back. He's still not over the breakup. Some kids can be so stubborn, I swear."

"You ran into him? Where was he going? Don't tell me he went crawling back to those two. It'll be ruined if they find out."

Dean was still growling in anger, but Roman caught the end of the sentence, leaning closer to the wall, feeling a small sense of dread washing over him.

"Settle down. He just got another room. I'm sure the two of them wouldn't listen to a damn word he'd say anyway. He must've been feeling some type of way yesterday. The kid was going on about how he was quitting and going back to Iowa."

Dean's growling stopped abruptly and Roman ran a hand down his face, jaw set. He looked back at Dean and noticed the man was just as shocked as he was. He opened his mouth to say something when Randy's raised voice cut him off.

"He _what_?! Why the fuck are you still smiling? None of this shit is effective if the kid doesn't stay and help us keep those two at bay."

"I'm smiling because Seth is just throwing a temper tantrum. He's upset he can't tell the other two that I'm using him and I broke up whatever love triangle they had going on. Whatever it is, I don't care. I'm not worried anyway. He has the briefcase, there's no way he'll walk away from a damn there guaranteed title opportunity. He's better off here than he ever was with those two. Once he finishes pouting and gets over this lovesick Twilight bullshit, he'll fit right into his role. As of now, we need to come up with a plan to take care of Cena…"

Their voices faded after that and the two men sat in an even tenser silence than before. Roman turned back to look down at Dean and he noticed the man had his head tightly held in his hands, fingers curled into his short hair, pulling as he ground his teeth together. His leg was bouncing uncontrollably, and Roman could practically _hear_ the gears turning and the puzzle pieces clicking into place.

Seth really wasn't lying.

Roman gently moved his hands over Dean's, uncurling his fingers and pulling them out of the slightly smaller man's hair before he hurt himself. He set Dean's hands down and pushed his knee down in a silent attempt to keep him calm. He knew Dean. The man was ready to destroy everything and everyone at the moment, and Roman wasn't too far off.

They had been lied to, but not by Seth. The story was still much too hazy, but all the two knew for sure was that Seth wanted no real part in what he was doing. That was enough to make both of them feel like shit.

Dean's eyes widened and he shot up, startling Roman.

"He's gonna quit. Roman, he's gonna fucking quit!" Dean barked. It hit Roman just as hard and the ex-football player shot up as well, both of them darting out of the gym.

***S***

Seth was nearly done stuffing his things back into his suitcase when his phone began to chime once more. He clicked his tongue, answering the video call. He smiled sorrowfully and answered it, looking down at the phone.

"Good morning, Jo. We got to keep this short, okay? I need to finish packing."

"Packing? Where ya going? To the next arena?" the little girl tilted her head and Seth looked away, drumming his fingers along his knee.

"No…no, I'm quitting. I'm going home."

He kept his gaze down, not wanting to see the undoubtedly heartbreaking look on the small child's face. She stammered for a moment before she found her voice.

"Uncle Colby, you can't quit. Daddy and Uncle Jon love you very much, they told me!"

"They don't love me anymore, Jo Jo. You see what I've been doing. They don't love me and I don't deserve to be loved by them anymore."

Seth nearly cringed at how pathetic he sounded to himself. Joelle huffed, tapping the screen to get his attention. She had her arms crossed, bright eyes now glaring at him, cheeks puffed out.

"Well, I love you. Wanna know how much? Thiiiiiiis much!"

The small Samoan stretched her arms wide, a brilliant smile on her face this time. Seth couldn't help but to smile right with her.

"I love you this much, Uncle Colby. I know Daddy and Uncle Jon love you this much, too. Except their arms are a lot bigger…" she trailed off before she smiled into the camera. Seth doesn't notice the tears rolling down his cheeks until Joelle leans closer to the camera, frowning.

"Don't cry, Uncle Colby. I love you"

"I love you too, Jo Jo. I'll call you again a bit later. After my flight, okay?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay…bye bye!"

The call ended and he let out an airy chuckle as he turned back to his luggage. He considered leaving his new gear behind, and as he was taking it out, he heard Special Op fill the room once more. Blinking in confusion, he grabbed his phone once more.

"Jo, what's wrong? I told you I'd video chat with you later after I got off my flight-"

"_Seth! Where are you?!"_

Seth nearly dropped his phone as he jolted in alarm, Roman's booming voice startling him. He stared at his phone with wide eyes before he hesitantly brought it back to his ear, throat dry.

"In my hotel room…why?"

"_Give me the phone…don't give me that look, give me the damn phone!"_

There was a shuffle before Dean's gravelly voice came into focus.

"_Where is that? What floor?"_

"Look, I get it, you don't have to come and beat the hell out of me again, I won't be a bother to you two anymore-"

"_**What. Fucking. Floor?**_"

Seth was a bit taken back at the low growl. He swallowed thickly and sighed. Might as well give them one last chance to make him pay for what he'd done.

"Fifth floor. Room 528"

The phone went dead immediately after and Seth gently moved his suitcase aside, pushing it underneath his bed so nothing of his got damaged in whatever confrontation was about to occur.

He heard the men stampeding towards his room before he heard the frantic knocking and he took a breath to steel himself, opening his door and holding his hands up.

"Look, take your shots and whatever, but I've got a flight to catch-"He barely had the time to finish the small request before Roman came crashing into him, nearly knocking him over as he held his face, holding him tight as he kissed him hard, stealing his breath away. Seth's eyes grew, and he stared back at him with wide eyes, not daring to move, lest he wake from whatever day dream he was having at the moment. He jolted when his door slammed shut, an out of breath Dean tugging him out of Roman's grip (with some difficulty, as if the man didn't want to let go) and crushing him with a hug, a few of his joints popping in protest. His heart was pounding, and he looked between the two with wide eyes.

"I…what?" he stammered. Dean looked him in the eyes, brows knitted up.

"Tell us what they've got against you that's making you do this."

Seth suddenly looked more guarded, body tensing as he stepped out of Dean's grip and backed away to the other side of the room, not stopping until his back pressed against a wall.

"You didn't believe me less than twenty four hours ago…why are you _really_ here? To fuck with me? Just hit me then, don't come in here kissing and hugging me when you know you both hate me!" Seth barked. Dean rubbed his shoulder idly and Roman clicked his tongue, nodding slightly.

"Seth, we're sorry"

"_What?_"

The word came out high-pitched, laced with disbelief. He shook his head, sliding to the floor, head tightly clutched in his hands.

"Stop it! Just stop it! You said it yourselves, you hate me. I'm scum. You don't love me anymore. D-Don't come in here and confuse me like this. _You_ don't need to apologize! I do…I…" Seth choked slightly, turning his head away as a sob ripped from his chest. He shook nearly violently, heart heavy. It was worse this way. They should just hit him and get it over with.

He hardly noticed Roman approach him until the man was down on one knee in front of him, lifting his face and gently thumbing away the tears. Seth pressed his back more against the wall, looking more like a caged animal. Roman didn't move any closer, but he continued to gently caress his face, staring at him with the soft gray eyes he'd come to know. Slowly, Seth let out a shaky breath, cheek pressing against Roman's rough hand. Dean took this as a good sign and slowly got to his knee beside Seth as well, choosing not to touch him.

"You don't have to apologize for it anymore. We overheard Hunter and Randy talking about this…whatever this is. We're here to listen, tell us what they're doing to you" He requested gently. Seth looked warily at the two of them for a moment before he bowed his head down.

"They said….they said they'd terminate both of your contracts if I didn't turn against you. Randy and Hunter made me keep quiet about it…I tried…I tried to tell you." He whispered. Roman stared at him and Dean's jaw ticked in anger. The Authority was doing what it did best, using the workers within the company as pawns and holding their contracts over their heads to get them to obey. Any and all who didn't wasn't simply fired, no, they targeted their _relationships_ with other wrestlers within the company, whether it be romantic or otherwise.

Strike the psyche before the body.

Seth started crying, staring silently at the floor. It was Dean who lifted his face this time. "Don't cry anymore, Seth. If it makes you feel better, you can get your hits back and more. We deserve it for being so fucking stupid in the first place and not realizing you were being used" he offered. Seth stared at the both of them for a moment before he threw himself into their arms, squeezing their necks hard as he pressed himself against the both of them. Dean wheezed slightly while Roman wrapped a strong arm around Seth's middle, burying his face in the two toned man's hair.

"We love you, Seth. We're sorry."

Seth squeezed them tighter and Dean grunted, gently pushing the smaller man off so he could pick him up instead, carrying him to the bed. Roman followed soon after and the three fell into a pile at the center of the bed, with Seth in the middle, of course. They lay in that silence until the two toned man broke it.

"What do we do now?" he whispered. Dean hummed thoughtfully and Roman closed his eyes, rubbing his arm idly. "We continue the way we've been. Now that we know what's really going on, we can refrain from actually murdering one another out there. We can't let them know we know and it's a bit too late for you to turn on them. Just play along for now." He told them both, reaching down to grab Seth's hand when he felt the man tense up.

"I can…I can try and break them up from the inside. Hunter is fully convinced I'm the new poster boy, Stephanie is right there with him, Kane doesn't really care much for me and-"

"And Randy's going to make me rip him limb from limb if he puts his hands on you again" Dean growled out. Roman grunted in agreement and Seth turned to him, looking up into his eyes for a moment before he leaned up and kissed him, keeping one hand on his cheek as he stroked his face. Dean relaxed into the kiss, grunting in disapproval when Seth broke it, nestling comfortably between the two of them. The emotional rollercoaster had him tired all of a sudden.

His phone chimed from the bedside table and Roman reached for it, seeing it was a reminder for Seth about his flight to Iowa. Hesitantly, he handed the phone to the drifting man and Seth yawned, looking at the notification with half lidded eyes. He grunted, putting his phone on silent before sliding it under his pillow, resting his head back on it, not saying another word as he drifted off.

Dean and Roman smiled over the top of his head, both holding him a bit tighter.

***Summerslam***

"_I love you, brother"_

Seth panted shakily, wiping his brow as he swallowed down an entire bottle of water before moving to dart out of catering. He slammed right into Randy, who smirked down at him.

"Good, I'm glad I ran into you. You should probably get a bottle for me for when I completely _destroy_ your ex. How about a kiss for good luck?" he questioned, and it comes out in a low purr. Seth's eyes narrow and he considers hitting him with his briefcase before he decides against it, straight up pushing past him and walking away. He ignores Randy's chuckling and continues his way down the hall, gently rasping on a door more towards the back of the arena. There's silence for a moment before a low, 'come in' is heard from the other side.

Seth slipped inside, closing the door silently before looking across the room.

"You weren't supposed to tell me that…and you weren't supposed to kiss me" he murmured. Dean ran a hand through his hair, shrugging. Seth frowned and came closer to him, sitting in his lap and tilting his head.

"Something's wrong"

"Nothing's wrong"

"Dean"

"Seth"

Seth frowned in response and Dean drummed his fingers along his waist. "This storyline is getting to me. It's no big deal" he lied and Seth shook his head, craning his neck down to kiss Dean hard. Dean grabbed his waist fully, molding their lips together firmly. They sat like that for a moment before Dean turned Seth around in his lap, putting his head on his shoulder as they watched the rest of the pay-per-view.

When the time came for Roman's match, the two sat on edge, neither liking the way Randy took control of the majority of the match. Seth was nearly about to jump from Dean's lap by the end of it but the two finally breathed a sigh of relief when Roman won, the two quickly getting up and heading out of the room, going down different hallways.

Dean made his way down the hall, nearly knocking Roman down when he threw himself into his arms. Roman chuckled, holding him tight and kissing his temple. He chuckled when Dean squeezed him tighter and leaned down to his ear.

"Where's our boy?" he whispered. Dean pulled away and jerked his thumb in the direction behind him. "He's starting the car. Let's get the hell out of here" he muttered. Roman nodded and they turned, running right into an irate Viper. He leered at them.

"Enjoy your little twosome. But know I'm going home with your boy" he sneered and Dean was about to say something before Roman pulled him back, getting chest-to-chest with Randy.

"You come anywhere near him and you'll wish I put you in the hospital the first time I put you on your ass" he growled, glaring fiercely. Randy snarled in response, but Dean stepped up, cracking his knuckled and rolling his neck on his shoulders. "You don't wanna see how crazy I can get" he hissed and Randy slowly backed off, scoffing and turning to walk away, muttering to himself. Roman smirked and Dean cackled quietly, both of them heading to the parking lot after grabbing their stuff.

They found Seth in the driver's seat, jamming to his own theme, headbanging and playing air guitar. Dean smirked, standing right outside the window and putting on the craziest smile he could, waiting for Seth to feel eyes on him. He looked over and jolted, screaming bloody murder. Dean threw his head back, laughing loudly while Roman made his way past him, getting in the car. Seth pouted, waiting until Dean got in to leer at him in the rear view window. Dean smiled cheekily back at him.

The ride home was filled with a comfortable silence, each man quickly making their way to their room. Seth showered first, and when he got out he decided to set up a movie and order Chinese from the hotel. Dean was the one to get their food when it came, with Roman being the last man out of the shower. He dimmed the lights and sat down to Seth's left, putting an arm around the back of the couch. Dean leaned obnoxiously on his right shoulder until he moved back.

Seth smiled slightly, leaning against Roman and running his fingers through Dean's semi-damp hair, raising the food to his lips every few minutes.

"Seth feed me" Dean grunted and Seth shot him a flat look, ignoring Roman's light chuckling as he held some of the food down to Dean, making sure he didn't drop it on him. They shared the contents of the container like that and Seth set it on the table, leaning back and putting his hand back in Dean's hair, watching the movie.

About half way through, Roman noticed Seth nodding off and he put a hand on his shoulder. "Seth, c'mon, get up. We can move to the bed" he grunted, shaking Dean awake so he could move with him. The younger man grunted but got up, dragging himself to the bed, faceplanting onto the soft sheets while Roman carried Seth, smiling when the smaller man curled against him, not letting go when Roman moved to set him down.

Roman chuckled and maneuvered around, finally settling them down in a comfortable position. Seth pulled Dean closer and put his head on Roman's chest. "I love you" he whispered suddenly. Dean mumbled in his half-asleep state and Roman kissed him softly, holding him a bit tighter.

"And we love you, Seth."

* * *

***I've said things I'm not proud of**

**Done things that hurt you**

**I helped start this war**

**But you're still here to get me through.**

**I don't want to fight you**

**I swear, it hurts and scares me too.**

**But you're my brothers,**

**And more importantly, my lovers.**

**And in the end, **

**I love you with everything I've got,**

**And I'll always be with you***

* * *

**(A/n: It's finally done. Through horrid writer's block, life blocks, and all, it's finally done. I opted out of the sexytimes this time around, but hopefully it's still everything you all hoped it would be. Thank you for reading and thank you for your patience.)**


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